Such a plug connector part comprises a housing and a plug-in portion that is arranged on the housing and can be plugged into an associated mating plug connector part in a plugging direction and engages with the mating plug connector part when in a connected position, at least one electrical contact element for making electrical contact with the mating plug connector part being arranged on the plug-in portion. A locking element is arranged on the housing in a movable manner and has a locking position for locking the plug connector part relative to the mating plug connector part in the connected position, and can be moved out of the locking position to release the connection between the plug connector part and the mating plug connector part.
Such a plug connector part can, for example, be designed as a charging plug on a charging system for charging an electrically operated vehicle (also called an electric vehicle). Such a plug connector part can, for example, be arranged on a charging cable and be intended to be plugged into a charging socket on a vehicle. In order to charge an electric vehicle, the charging plug is inserted into the charging socket and, when inserted, establishes an electrical connection for transmitting a charging current in the form of an alternating current or direct current.
In this context, the locking element serves to ensure that the plug connection part cannot be pulled out of the associated mating plug connection part unintentionally during a charging procedure, which would lead to an interruption of the charging procedure. Due to the locking provided by the locking element when the plug connector part is in the connected position with the mating plug connector part, the plug connector part is held in a defined position relative to the mating plug connector part and cannot be released from the mating plug connector part counter to the plugging direction.
It may be desirable for it to not be readily possible to release the locking by moving the locking element out of its locking position, for example to only allow authorized persons to remove the plug connector part from the mating plug connector part. Different locking devices are known from prior art in this context, which serve to block the locking element in its locking position.
In the case of a plug connector part known from US 2013/0047687 A1, for example, a locking device in the form of a lock actuated by a key is provided on a mating plug connector part associated with the plug connector part, which lock is designed to block the locking element when the plug connector part is inserted into the associated mating plug connector part. The locking between the plug connector part and the mating plug connector part is therefore blocked by the lock on the mating plug connector part.
In the case of a plug connector part known from US 2011/0034053 A1 in the form of a charging plug, a lock is provided on the housing of the plug connector part, which lock can be actuated between a blocking position and a releasing position and blocks a locking element of the plug connector part in the blocking position.
In the case of a plug connector part known from DE 10 2013 204 904 A1 in the form of a charging plug, a blocking device in the form of a lock is provided on a housing of the plug connector part, which lock can act on a locking element using a pawl in order to block the locking element in a locking position.
The blocking devices known from prior art allow only authorized users to release the locking of the plug connector part to an associated plug connector part. In the process, authorization is given by the use of a key that fits the lock and by means of which the lock can be operated and therefore the locking element can be unlocked, so the locking between the plug connector part and the mating plug connector part can be released and the plug connector part can be removed from the mating plug connector part. In this case, it can be disadvantageous that such a blocking device in the form of a lock requires installation space, in particular if it is provided on the housing of the plug connector part and has parts that have to move inside the housing such as a pawl or similar.